Electron discharge device and associated circuit



July 13, 1948. R, P STONE 2,445,237

ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED CIRCUIT Filed July 28, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l lill/1111111 Q Z7' 25: 27'/ f7 mi@ 40 4/ m I f; l" l) j w I 20 j f i5 f f4 EL Zfzy. Z.

snventot (Xttorueg July 13, 1948. R. P. STONE 2,445,237

ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED CIRCUIT Filed July 28, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eff/@w ATTORN EY Patented July 13, 1948 ELECTECN DISCHARGE DEVICE AND i ASSOCIATED CIRCUIT Robert P. Stone, Grlggstown, N. J., anlgnorto Radio Corporation oi'America, a corporation of Delaware Application my ze, 1944, sam No. 547,009

'i claims. (ci. 25o-:215)

' My invention relates to electron discharge devices and associated circuits, more particularly to such devices useful at very high frequencies.

An object of my invention is to provide an electron discharge device and associated circuit particularly suitable for high frequency operation and capable oi delivering large amounts of power.

Another object of my invention is to provide an electron discharge device which can deliver large amounts of power at high frequencies, but which is nevertheless small and compact, has few parts, and lends itself readily to manufacture.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a devi having a low internal reactance which permits the use of a large external circuit, that is a device which will function at higher frequencies with an external circuit and thus permit tuning over a considerable range.

A more specific object of my invention is to" provide an electron discharge device in which the electrodes although closely spaced are firmly and rigidly supported with respect to each other.

A further object of my invention is to provide an electron discharge device having electrode leads and supports which will merge into high frequency circuits of the cavity resonator type so that the internal reactances may be coupled smoothly to the external reactances which complete the circuit and thus reduce radio frequency losses and spurious modes of oscillation to a minimum.v

A further object of my invention is to provide a cavity. resonator circuit in which the circuit has comparatively large dimensions while permitting operation at very high frequencies.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved means for connecting the terminals of an electron discharge device to a. cavity resonator circuit.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tube and compact circuit operable in a fundamental quarter wavelength mode, thus decreasing the stored energy and permitting faster starting, such as required for pulse work, thus increasing the eillciency of the circuit for this type operation.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of myinvention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, but the invention itself will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an electron discharge device and its associated circuit made accordingly to my invention, Figure 2 is a longil tudinal section of a schematic diagram oi the tube and circuit shown in Figure 1 and associated voltage sources, Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the electron discharge device shown in Figure 1 and made according to my invention.

As shown in Figure 1 the electron discharge device is provided with an envelope comprising the inverted cup-shaped anode 9 having the radiating ns I0 and a collar II of U-shaped transverse section sealed to a collar I2 of insulating material, preferably glass, which is in turn sealed to the collar Il welded to the collar member Il, which supports the grid I5 within the anode and surrounds the indirectly heated cathode Il provided with the tubular lead and support I1 and having extension Il. A seal Il between the vcollar I4 and the cathode lead support Il is positioned within the collar I4' at a point remote from its seal to the collar I3 for purposes to be described.

An output cavity resonator is coupled between the anode and the grid and includes the isolating condenser h aving upper plate 20 supporting thereon a plurality of segmental clips 2l slidable radially to and away from the flange II' on the anode. These clips or contacts are retained in place by the screws 2l. The top plate 2l of the output resonator is insulated from the lower plate 22 by means oi' the insulating ring 23, preferably of mica. The bottom plate is supported by means of the conducting collar-like member 2l supported by the plate 26, which is in turn clamped to the grid collar and flange by means of a plurality of conducting segments or contacts 2l slidable radially and which may be retained in position by means of the screws 21'. The output resonator and tube are supported by means of the support elements '28 mounted on the plate Il. A conventional output coupling loop, not shown, may be used to take power out of the output resonator.

The input cavity resonator includes the collar 30 coaxial with and surrounding the cathode lead and support Il. A tuning condenser extending between the collar 30 and tubular lead I1 includes the concentric collar-like elements I4 and 35 insulated from each other by means of the insulating collar 33, preferably of mica. The inner element 35 is provided with spring ilngers 31 contacting cathode lead Il. The outer element 34 is provided with contacting spring fingers l.

resonator, which is in the form of a coaxial line circuit, the cathode tubular lead I'I forming the inner conductor.

The condenser may be moved axially along the collars Il and Il and tubular lead l`l by means of the rack and pinion II. Il and Il attached to the extensions Il on the outer condenser collar s4. 'I'he pinions ll and 4l are mounted on the shaft Il adjusted rotatably by dial knob l2.

The tube made according to my invention is shown in greater detail in Figure 3. Cathode Il is provided with a heater i0' and is supported from tubular extension I'I by means of the conducting rods or tabs l1" to minimise heat conduction to the cathode lead and support l1. The getter 41 has one lead Il extending through and insulatingly sealed through the tubular member I1. One side of the cathode heater Il' is connected to the cathode on the inside and the other lead 4I is insulatingly sealed through the tubular member at It. The collar il is provided with ange i3' and collar Il' with flange Il' which are welded together to provide a hermetically sealed envelope for the electron discharge device shown in Figure 3. Plate-like member Il connected to the cathode extends through and is insulated from grid Il by insulating tubular member ll which centers the cathode and grid. Member il provides capacity feedback between anode and cathode.

In Figure 2 I show schematically the electron discharge device and associated circuit of Figure 1 with means for applying the various voltages, the heater voltage being supplied by transformer Il. and the circuit for applying the pulse voltage to the anode I grid biasing voltage indicated at It and Il, respectively. It is preferable to make the inside diameter of member 3l and the inside diameter of grid collar is the same as shown in Figure 2, to permit the condenser to enter within collar i4 to the seal Il.

Due to the compactness of the circuit arrangement and the unusual construction employed in my tube permitting the grid collar to form part of the input resonator and the shorting condenser to be moved within the tube, I am able to operate my device in a fundamental quarter wave mode. This decreases the amount of stored energy in the input resonator and permits faster starting which is required for pulse work. This also -increases the eiliciency of the circuit.

While I have indicated the preferred embodimen'ts of my invention of which I am now aware and have also indicated only one specic application for which my invention may be employed, it will be apparent that my invention is by no means limited to the exact forms illustrated or the use indicated, but that many variations may be made in the particular structure used and the purpose for which it is employed without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What 1 claim as new is:

l. An electron discharge device having a cathode, grid and an anode. said anode being cupshaped and forming part of the envelope of the device. said grid and cathode being positioned within said cup-shaped anode, said cathode having a tubular lead and support extending from said envelope. said grid having a collar surrounding said tubular lead and having one end fixed t# said grid and its other end insulatingly sealed to the open end of said anode, and a seal between said collar and said tubular lead within said collar at a point remote from the anode sealed end,

and a collar-like member surrounding said tubuiarleadandelectri conneetedtosaidsrld collar and extending said grid collar. and a shorting condenser mounted for axial movement between said member and said tubular lead. said tubular lead. member and condenser providing a coaxial line cavity resonator.

2. An electron discharge device having s cathode. grid and an anode. said anode being cupshaped and forming part of the envelope of the device, said grid and cathode being positioned l.

within said cup-shaped anode. said cathode having a tubular lead and support extending from said envelope. said grid having a collar surrounding said tubular lead and having one end ilxsd to said grid and its other end lnsulatingly sealed to the open end of said anode. and a seal between said collar and said tubular lead within said col lar at a point remote from the anode sealed end. and a collar-like member surrounding said tubular lead and electrically connected to said grid collar and extending said grid collar. and a shorting condenser mounted for axial movement along and between said collar-like member and said tubular lead, said shorting condenser comprising a pair of coaxial conducting collars and insulating means separating said collars, the inner ends of said collars being provided with ctacting fingers contacting the outside of said tubular lead and the inside of said collars.

3. An electron discharge device having a cathode, grid and anode, said anode being cup-shaped and forming part of the envelope of the device. said grid and cathode being positioned within said cup-shaped anode. said cathode lhaving -a tubular lead and support extending from said envelope, said grid having a collar surrounding said tubular lead and having one end n xed tc said grid and its other end insulating scaled to the open end of said anode. and a seal said collar and said tubular lead within said collar at a point removed from said anode sealed end, a cavity resonator coupled between said anode and the end of the grid collar sealsd'to said anode and having a ilange transverse to the longitudinal axis of said device, and a collar extending from said ilange oppositely from said grid collar and surrounding said tubular lead. and a shorting condenser mounted for axial movement between said collars and said .tubular lead, said tubular lead, collars and condenser providing a coaxial line cavity resonator.

4. An electron discharge device havingl 'an envelope, a cathode and another electrode mounted within said envelope. said other electrode having a collar sealed at one end to said envelope and the inside surface of said collar forming an outside portion of said envelope. said cathode having a tubular lead extending fromsaid-,envelope within and coaxial of said collar, and a seal oonnected between the inside surface of said collar and tubular lead at a point remote from the end of the collar sealed to the envelope.

5. An electron discharge device having an esivelope including a cup-shaped anode having an open end, an insulating collar sealed to the open end of said anode. a cathode and grid 'within said anode. said cathode being provided with a tubular lead and support extending from said envelope, said grid being provided with a collar coaxial with and surrounding said tubular lead.

andasealbetweenthee'ndofsaidglidcoilar,l

remote from said grid and the insulating collar sealed to the open end of said anode. and a second seal between said cathode tubular lead and the inside of said grid collar at a point remote from the end of the grid collar sealed to said insulating collar.

6. An electron discharge device having an envelope including a cup-shaped anode having an open end, an insulating collar sealed to the open end of said anode, a cathode and grid within said anode, said cathode being provided with a tubular lead and support extending from said envelope, said grid being provided with a collar coaxial with and surrounding said tubular lead, said grid collar having one end fixed to said grid and its other end provided with a flange transverse to the axis of said tubular cathode lead sealed to the insulating collar, and a second seal between said cathode tubular lead and the inside of said grid collar at a point remote from the end having said flange.

7. An electron discharge device having a drumshaped cathode, an elongated tubular lead for said cathode, and conductors of small transverse section connected between said drumshaped cathode and the tubular lead, a cupshaped grid surrounding said cathode and provided with a collar extending away from said cathode and surrounding said tubular lead and having an outwardly extending flange transverse to said tubular lead, a cup-shaped anode surrounding said cathode and grid and an insulating collar sealed between the open end of said cup-shaped anode and the Ilange of said grid col-lar, and a second seal within said grid collar ata point removed from said flange, `said tubular lead and said grid collar comprising part of the envelope for said electron discharge device.

ROBERT P. STONE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

